One simple deck plank fastening system consists of a plurality of securing or anchoring members, such as nails or screws, driven downward through the top of a plank, such as a wood or composite board, and into the top surface of a supporting beam, such as a joist or ledger board. Although the concept is simple, professional quality installation using this approach requires a high degree of precision, significant time expenditure, and sometimes leads to a flawed result.
Deck planks installed using the simple system of the preceding paragraph must be carefully aligned to achieve a desirable aesthetic as well as functional result, for example, secure attachment and uniform spacing or parallelism without large gaps. Also, the insertion of the nails or screws must be performed carefully to ensure proper penetration of the joist, which will be concealed from view by the overlying wood board at the time of insertion, in order to achieve optimal attachment. Thus, although the system itself is simple, methods for making and using the system are not.
Even if the above-described simple system is properly installed, penetration of each deck plank by several securing members leaves each plank with a pock-marked appearance and prone to rot and weather damage, which severely decreases the longevity of the deck. In addition, each nail or screw may work loose and protrude from the upper surface of the planks, presenting a risk of injury to users of the deck. In summary, the simple conventional system of deck plank installation, using fasteners driven through each plank, detracts from the integrity of each plank and of the deck as a whole, and presents a risk of injury to users.
These and other problems have spurred on numerous advancements in the field. For instance, an improved deck plank fastening system includes fasteners that attach to a side surface of the plank and a top surface of the joist using nails or screws. Such designs facilitate uniform spacing or parallelism of planks by providing tabs or vertically oriented flanges that engage adjacent planks. The tabs facilitate installation by locating the points of penetration at more readily visible and accessible positions. The fasteners improve the longevity of the resulting deck by repositioning the point of penetration to the side of the plank, which is less prone to weathering. In addition, the tabs reduce the risk of injury to the user of the deck by hiding the nails or screws below the surface. Also, the hidden fasteners improve the aesthetic appeal of the deck.
Many other improvements and permutations have been conceived in this field, including the provision of deck planks with side grooves for receiving the teeth or tabs of hidden fasteners. Such improvements have specific advantages in specific circumstances, but have not foreclosed innovation in the field. For example, it has been proposed to provide deck planks with undercut side grooves so as to mitigate a possible problem of moisture collection in the side grooves. However, it is considered that known hidden fasteners are not compatible to planks with undercut side grooves.